TU: Council to vote on moving Jacksonville elections to fall (please take action on this)

[Patricia M. McBride]

This is an important issue, so please read the article and then, if you live in Duval County, please read the bottom notes and send an Email to the city council members or give them a call and tell them not to do this.  This is not going to help with visibility nor will it help us get honest, dependable council members.  If the election is moved, it will put city government into the background and we will pay the price in the long run.  John Crescimbeni's comments are correct and thank goodness for his common sense in this matter.

 

By The Times-Union 

November 1, 2011 - 06:57am

PolitiJax: Council to vote on moving Jacksonville elections to fall

A new spin on an old idea - moving Jacksonville's city elections to autumn - is headed to a City Council vote.

The council's Rules Committee voted 4-3 Monday for legislation (2011-654) by Councilman Matt Schellenberg to hold a referendum on moving elections from spring to fall, starting in 2018.

If the full council approves next week, the referendum will be on the November 2012 ballot.

Schellenberg told the committee that consolidating local voting with elections for governor and Congress could save Duval County $2.5 million to $3 million per election. A detailed financial impact will be included if there's a referendum.

Other boosters say fall elections give council members and new mayors time to get ready for the next budget year.

Critics woory that city elections will get overlooked by voters facing a flood of advertising and media attention for the larger elections.

"There's a lot of issues on the ballot in the state election cycle," Councilman John Crescimbeni argued. "To combine that [with local races] is a disservice to the electorate."

Read more at Jacksonville.com: http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/2011-11-01/story/politijax-counc...

 

Tony Bates was at the Rules Committee meeting and this is part of an Email I received from him, and I am hoping people will take action on this matter:

 Rules Committee voted 4 to 3 to recommend to Council, approval of the Shellenberg bill to combine local elections with State elections.
YEA - Shellenberg - Holt - Gaffney - Yarborough(BIG disapointment withYarborough)
NAY - Bishop - Boyer - Crescimbeni-
Daniels not a committee member said she would vote NO in Council. Thats four four. We have work to do to keep elections separate.

IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS WE NEED TO BE FIND OUT HOW COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE GOING TO VOTE ON THIS.

District 3 Richard Clark 630-1386 [e-mail]
District 4 Don Readman 630-1394 [e-mail]
District 8 Denise Lee 630-1385 [e-mail]
District 9 Warren Jones 630-1395 [e-mail]
District 10 Reginal Brown 630-1684 [e-mail]
District 12 Doyle Carter 630-1380 [e-mail]
District 13 Bill Gilliford 630-1397 [e-mail]
District 14 Jim Love 630-1390 [e-mail]
At Large 3 Steven Joost 630-1396 [e-mail]
At Large 4 Greg Anderson630-1398 [e-mail]
At Large 5 Robin Lumb 630-1387 [e-mail]

[Patricia M. McBride]

It diminishes the chances of just a regular citizen getting elected since people will be focused on the national elections so donations and assistance in local elections will be cut back.  It also increases the chances of people going eeny meeny minee mo to pick the local candidate while at least now they either don't bother going because they don't know anything about anyone or they somewhat pay attention to the news and Times Union.  For those who follow a list given to them outside the poll or those who vote by the letter next to the name, it will be great.  For people like MOST tea party members, It does not allow enough time to properly vet people who are running if you are someone who actually likes to know something about the people you are voting for and not just going for something to do and to get the I Voted sticker.  Higher participation if you don't even know whose running isn't always a good thing Amanda and no they will not be more engaged.  Most won't know anymore about the local people than they do about the national candidates they vote for (and in some cases, it is absolutely nothing).

 

[amanda choate]

It saves money, higher participation, the electorate would be more engaged. It seems like a good idea to me, but I could be wrong.